Police Officers and Azabu Area

Happy Tuesday! We noticed that we have several friends who want to be a police officer when they grow up. When asked why they wanted to, they would say, “Because we want to catch the bad guys, too!”. So, we wondered if there’s anything else that police officers do. Before we headed out for outdoor activity, we shared what we thought the responsibilities of police officers are. Here are they:

            K : (salute) Police!
           D : Police have a bike if the monster went fast, the people drive the car. People tell stop the people driving, then he tell it’s very dangerous, then police office write in the book.

            K ; When kids are lost, find moms or dads when they lost, like when you’re in the market. And when you separate from mom and dad, there is a police somewhere you can tell where your mom and dad are.

            A : When kids are lost, the police help kids to get back to their family.

            K : Police officer help kids home and take bad guys go home and police officer not catch.

            H : What happen not close (police), cannot find it. What will do?

            K : Ask police. You find toilet. Like emergency button.

            H : Police is inside the toilet, that is hide and seek! I see elevator that is broken. Police officer don’t know everything like shopping and outside toilet.

            Sh : There is emergency button in the elevator for help, then the elevator don’t move.

            R : Daddy lost, but daddy know where so he don’t need the police.

            H: No because daddy is strong.

Thank you for sharing your ideas about the roles of police officers. After our short circle time, Vieda said that we would be going to the library to return the books we borrowed, and then try our luck to drop by the police box and see what we could observe. We also heard that there is a new park near the police box, so we planned to play there as well. This outdoor activity seemed like a very exciting one!

At the Azabu library, we enjoyed reading large board books with our friends. The board books are so huge, K said, “This book is too big for my hands!” as he smiled while flipping the pages of Swimmy (Japanese version). An and Re shared a Japanese book and tried their best to read in Japanese! Br sat where he could get a clear view of the library’s clock and said, “When it’s 12 o’clock, we have to be quiet and watch that!”. Br is right! Every 12 o’clock, the alarm clock plays a special tune with birds’ figurines dancing around it. Unfortunately, we would leave the library before 12 o”clock”. We hope to stay a little past 12 o’clock next time to see this special presentation.

After visiting the Azabu library, we took a path that is different from our usual route. We started walking toward the Azabu Juban train station and crossed huge streets! Our teachers reminded us that we needed to face forward and keep the line when we crossed the streets. Then, we walked towards a small building and K said, “This is police officer station box!”. A police officer waved to us and in fact, came out of the police box and had a chat with us. He intently listened to our questions about their work. Our hearts were full as he answered one question to another. When we got back to Flowers, we tried to remember the police officer’s reply to our questions. Our teachers are so proud of us for remembering all the facts we learned from the police officer. Here they are:

            Da: If the people drive fast, you can put to jail. The police help people.

            Ke: You go straight, you go away police. Then go to your house.

            Hi: People lost, they help them.

            Da: One time, I go to Kogai Park. I saw a ring, I put it somewhere you can find it.

            Re: Police can drive police cars.

            Hi When they drive the police car, michi o tanken suru.

            Ke: Michi is like jiko. Police car driver say, “Jiko desu!”. Catch the bad guys.

            Ka: Michi is like street.

            Aus: When they see bad guys somewhere is lost, they ask “what happen?”

            Ka: (Police) patrol the street.

            D: Patrol means police stop the car. People stop then they do this (whistle). You stop, you can’t go the street.

            Ke: Dame (Japanese) means no thank you!

Many thanks to the police officer for a very informative chat😊 After dropping by the police box, we walked to the new park next to it. The sight of long slides and nets made us very excited! We went towards them and were ready to line up for our turn. Since it was our first time visiting this park, our teachers told us that it would be wise to read the signs. To our surprise, the signs say that the long slides and other play equipment are for children from 6 years old to 12 years old. Although we really wanted to play on the slides, we love following the rules, so we decided to explore the area instead. As we were walking around, our attention was caught by water squirting out of tubes that went straight into the river. It was an awesome sight to watch! We felt lucky to be able to be around the bridge when it happened. Before heading back, we sat in a circle and played Duck, Duck, Goose and had lots of fun anticipating if it was our turn to run or not😊

QUESTION OF THE DAY (Do you like police officers?)

            Big thanks to Br who patiently helped us with today’s question of the day! Thank you so much, Br!

(Our friends who answered NO)

            Hi Sometimes they don’t give a card. Sometimes it’s a rainbow because they don’t give us food.

            K: Because I don’t want to be a police officer.

            Re: Because they don’t give yummy food because I look at Paddington movie, police give yummy food.

            An: I don’t want to be a police officer.

(Our friends who answered YES)

            Da: Because I like to catch bad guys.

            Au: They have blue truck. They can put bad guys and they give them bad good to go to jail.

            D: They give food because the police don’t want the bad guys to die.

            As: No,they give bad food so they can get sick and they don’t mess around.

            K: I like police!

            Sh: Because I like to catch bad guys. I don’t like bad guys.

            Just before lunch time, Vieda asked us if we were able to remember the homework that Cameron gave us yesterday. It was about our moms and dads’ jobs. Here they are:

            Sh: Daddy works on his phone and computer. Mommy makes food for all day.

            A: Mommy makes food and daddy works on his computer.

            Ka: Daddy works on the computer to get money.

            Hi: Daddy work for money. Work is having meetings and then going home, he brings juice. But sometimes he forgets the juice.

            Da: Daddy and mommy work in computer.

            R: Mommy do computer at home. Daddy do computer, too. He’s not in Tokyo.

            Ke: Mommy work computer, play games. Daddy go to sleep, goes to big shogakko and play and then go to the park.  Shogakko is cold and he put jacket.

            Au: Mommy works on her phone. She actually write message to the embassy people, mostly to the Lithuanian people, so the Lithuanian people food can bring to Tokyo. Daddy also works on the trees to make the trees grow. The trees are spiky trees.

            Cl: Mommy no work, Daddy yes work.

            Re: Daddy works at home. He is working. Mommy works like to clean up. R’s job is work and play and make baby cushion house.

            Hi: Mommy do work with telephone and computer and daddy only work computer.

 We had a terrific Tuesday! We hope you had a wonderful day, too! See you tomorrow. Please remember to wear your Ohana T-shirt!

 Lots of love,

Flowers